North District Open Championships - 4-5 June 2011

Representing South Mainland ASC, brothers Donnie and Eddie Price competed at the North District Open Championships at Westhill last weekend. 14 year old Donnie swam 12 events and gained several personal bests over the two days. His first PB came with a 4.20.31 in the Men’s 400m freestyle, a time just inside the qualifying mark for the National Youth Squad. It was also good enough to place him in reserve position for the final. Due to one swimmer withdrawing he then raced the final where, although unable to improve his time, he finished in 5^th place, his best achievement of the competition. Donnie’s next highest place was in the 200m breaststroke, where equalling his entry time gave him eighth place. PBs were made in the 200m backstroke, one of the events that he will be  swimming at the Island Games and in the remainder of the freestyle events; 50m, 100m and  200m.

Donnie had opted not to swim the two longer freestyle events at the competition, but brother Eddie, had entered the 800m and 1500m freestyle. The 12 year old, as the youngest and smallest swimmer in Saturday’s 800m freestyle, produced a very well paced swim, so was very disappointed to finish a second outside his best time. However, Eddie perked up in learning that as reserve he would get the chance to race the 1500m the following day. With his target of breaking 19 minutes, determined Eddie had a superb race, keeping up with a couple of older lads then overtaking one of them. After maintaining a good steady pace he finished strongly and with a final sprint achieved his goal by the narrowest of margins touching in 18.59.84.

Buckie Age Group Championships, 23-24 April 2011

Eleven year old Sophie Morris very successfully brought home two silver and two bronze medals from the Buckie Age Group Championships at the weekend. Competing in the 10/11 year age group, the South Mainland ASC youngster started her tremendous weekend by slicing over half a minute from her PB in the 400m freestyle with a fantastic time of 5.26.72 to take her first silver medal.  Throughout a demanding schedule of ten races in the 2 day competition her excellent form never deteriorated when race after race she produced times faster than entry times. On the Saturday she improved her 100m backstroke by 3 seconds and her 200m freestyle by 14 seconds. Sunday morning started with Sophie breaking her target time in the 100m freestyle and with a superb 1.12.19 she won the bronze. In the last session of the weekend a very strong 400m IM gained her another silver with a time of 6.20.67, and shortly afterwards she smashed her 100m butterfly time to take the bronze and finished her day with  a five second PB in her 200m backstroke. Not only was each of Sophie’s times a PB, but times produced in her 400s and  200s are within qualifying standard for Scottish Swimming’s District Regional Programme (DRP).

Also swimming in the same age group was 10 year old Erraid Davies, who competed in seven events. She successfully matched her entry time for the 400m freestyle which was followed by a very good 2 second PB in her backstroke for a 1.29.27. Two more PBs were gained in the 200m freestyle with a 2.53.10 and the 100m freestyle with a 1.20.41.

Vhairi Davies, 12, swam 6 events and gained PBs in the 100m backstroke with a 1.23.49 and in the 200m freestyle with a 2.47.78. 

South Mainland had two 13 year old boys competing. James Morris raced in nine events and showed his greatest improvements in the 200m events. New PBs were achieved with a 2.31.95 in the freestyle and an excellent 8 seconds off his time in backstroke gave him a 2.47.62. His 100m backstroke went under the 1.20 for the first time with a 1.19.50. At only his second competition south, Philip Hilditch gained a PB in each of his three races.  His 100m freestyle was a 1 second improvement from last month with a 1.11.07, while his 200m freestyle was a 2.33.50 and 200m breaststroke a 3.31.06.

Scottish Swimming Stroke Camp

Meanwhile, South Mainland’s Eddie Price,12, having taken  part in last year’s DRP was participating in one of Scottish Swimming’s  ‘Stroke Camps’at the National Swimming Academy in Stirling. Lead Coach, Rob Greenwood, one of the country’s top coaches instructed and inspired not only the 24 selected swimmers but provided valuable experience for accompanying club coaches. Eddie learned a great deal during the day, as did SMASC coach Jan Price.

Scottish Masters

Prior to attending the stroke camp, Jan had been competing at the Scottish Masters held at Tollcross, Glasgow. Over 3 sessions, she raced 9 events and was pleased to finish within a fraction of a second of her times from last year in many events. In her age group, 50-54 years, she achieved 2 bronze, 5 silver and 1 gold. Jan opted to substitute receiving medals for a donation per medal to this year’s nominated charity the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice.

Scottish National Age Group Championships, Tollcross, Glasgow, 7-10th April 2011

South Mainland brothers Donnie and Eddie Price between them swam 32 races at the Scottish National Age Group Championships. Both had qualified for all 13 events and fourteen year old Donnie successfully reached 6 finals, achieved 1 silver and 2 bronze medals, and made long course PBs in every event during the 4 day competition.

Day one kicked off with the 200m butterfly followed by the 100m freestyle when Donnie made his first final. Following this was the longest event, the 1500 freestyle where Donnie, in typical fashion started at a fairly steady pace. Each 500 metres progressed quicker than the previous resulting in a good long course PB and a silver medal.

Two finals were reached on the second day in the 200m freestyle and the 200m breaststroke where he attained 4^th and 9^th places. Saturday’s heats brought a further two finals in the 200m IM and the 100m backstroke, but with 8 swimmers having achieved a time within 0.6seconds in the 100m breaststroke, Donnie missed that event’s final by a finger nail. However, the 400m freestyle provided an excellent racing opportunity when Donnie produced a flat out final 25metres to fight off a furiously fast finish by the swimmer in the next lane to just make it into the medals in 3^rd place.

The last day of the championships brought two races that he wasn’t fast enough a year ago to qualify for, the 100m butterfly and the 200m backstroke. He demonstrated how well he’s progressed in recent months in backstroke by making it to the final. Prior to finals, he still had the 800m freestyle. It was an interesting race as similar to last year the heat before his had produced two times faster than Donnie’s entry time. Again, Donnie tackled the race in a steady first half then picked up the pace gaining on, then overtaking several swimmers during the second half.  Pushed all the way, Donnie had a very fast and necessary last 100metres which, although out-touched at the end was enough to have beaten the swimmer in the earlier heat by a second and to win the bronze in a new Shetland Age Group record.

For younger brother Eddie, 12, this was the first time competing at a National event. As the youngest Shetlander to have ever qualified for all 13 events, and indeed the only boy in his age group at the championships to do so, this in itself was a remarkable achievement.  Having only ever raced some of the events once before in a 50metre pool, there were certainly new challenges. Nevertheless, he coped particularly well in his races and produced results very close to entry times, creating a set of long course PBs. One of his best times was in the 100m freestyle with a 1.06.48 and another was at the other end of the scale with a 19.47.62 in the 1500m freestyle, where he finished in his top position of 6^th place. A further top ten place was achieved in the 800m freestyle where he finished 9^th.

Dyce Hunting Trophy Meet, Westhill, 26th March 2011

Eight swimmers from South Mainland ASC took part in the Dyce Hunting Trophy Meet last Saturday in Westhill near Aberdeen, and all performed well, achieving many PBs, several top ten placings and additional success for three of the team by the winning of a medal.

Ten year old Erraid Davies had a tremendous race in her heat of the Girls 10/11 years 100m butterfly, winning it in an excellent time of 1.31.46, a new Shetland Age Group record for 10 year old Girls. However, a girl in the previous heat had swum a fraction faster, placing Erraid in silver position. Her 100m backstroke produced another PB with a 1.30.10 and a 5^th place and a further PB was achieved in the afternoon in the 100m freestyle where she finished 10^th in a time of 1.20.92.

It was in the Boys’12/13 years 100m freestyle that SMASC swimmers James Morris 13, and Scott Riise 12, each gained a medal. The best pals battled it out in adjacent lanes in the fastest heat.  Both gained superb PBs - James with a 1.10.20 came second, closely followed by Scott in a 1.11.36 for third place.

James had earlier broken his 200IM time by 6 seconds with a 2.54.21 and his 100m breaststroke by one second to finish in 6^th place. In the last event of the day, the 100m IM he finished off by successfully gaining a PB of 1.23.71.

Scott also achieved a PB in his breaststroke with a 1.42.64 and was just outside his entry time in backstroke. Swimming in the same age group was Philip Hilditch, 13, who had a most successful meet, producing PBs in all but one race. In his first competition south, he got underway by knocking a massive 10 seconds off his 200m IM  for a 3.04.25 and then a took second off his 100m breaststroke to finish 10^th. In the 100m freestyle he smashed his entry time by 3 seconds with a 1.12.25 to finish 6^th overall. The afternoon session saw him achieving his fourth PB in the 100m backstroke with a time of 1.31.11.

In the Girls 12/13 age group, Vhairi Davies, 12, swam 100m in each stroke, finishing close to entry time in backstroke and fly, but gaining a PB in freestyle with a 1.18.24 and with a 1.44.20 made a very good 4 second improvement in Breaststroke. Cara Steven, 12, swam extremely well in her three races. Two seconds were knocked off her breaststroke for a 1.37.19 and she then lowered her freestyle time by a brilliant 5 seconds with a 1.18.69, and backstroke by over 4 seconds with a 1.29.27. 

In the Girls 14/16 age group, Morven Davies, 14, achieved very good PBs as well. Both her events showed a similar improvement with 3 seconds drop on her entry times for a 1.16.67 in freestyle and 1.34.77 in backstroke.

Kirsty Laurenson, 15, swam every event in the meet. She was within a second of entry time in backstroke, where she came 8th and her 100m IM was also just outside her time. Her highest place was achieved in the 100m freestyle where a time of 1.09.89 was only a 1/100 of a second away from her very recent PB and earned her 5^th place.

South Mainland ASC would like to thank, Mainlands, Freefield Pharmacy and Northlink for their support.

North District Age Group Championships, Inverness, 5/6 March 2011

Four weeks after swimming at Inverness, Donnie and Eddie Price were back in the pool representing South Mainland ASC at the North District Age Group Championships and the brothers had a tremendously successful weekend, producing a dozen PBs each, qualifying for every final and returning with handfuls of medals.

Competing in every event in the programme, Donnie, 14, started off with a superb 12 second PB in the 200m butterfly with a time of 2.24.44 and continued producing PBs one after the other, improving times in all but one event.

His first medal came on Saturday morning by winning the 400m freestyle and an excellent 200m breaststroke in a time of 2.38.32 earned him a silver in the afternoon. The evening session began with the 1500m freestyle, with Donnie winning his age group in a new Shetland Age Group record of 17.09.15.  With little recovery time he then had to cope with three close together finals, where resulting times, all slower than heats, perhaps  demonstrated just what  swimming a 1500m  takes out of a swimmer.

However, after good night’s rest, times were once again on the way down. Firstly, a PB of 1.06.05 in the 100m backstroke, gave him another Shetland Age Group record. This was followed by a bronze medal winning performance in the 200m freestyle. The morning ended with another distance event, the 800m freestyle earning Donnie his hat-trick of golds for the distance freestyle events. The 400 IM in the afternoon then gave Donnie his final medal of the championships with a silver. The evening session rounded off with a further two good swims in the finals bringing his total number of races to a demanding but successful eighteen.

Meanwhile, Eddie, 12, was collecting medals in all but two events giving him an amazing total of 5 silver and 5 bronze. He started off by achieving a Scottish National Age Group consideration time with a 1.05.47 in the 100m freestyle heat and then smashed his 200m breaststroke and 400m freestyle times to take silver in both. During the afternoon, further PBs in the 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke earned him bronzes with his 2.42.88 in backstroke being a Scottish Swimming District Regional Programme (DRP) qualifying time. A further PB came in the 100m breaststroke which he broke again in the evening’s final in a 1.28.86 for another third place.

Sunday continued with an equally impressive set of swims. A whopping great 8 second improvement with a 2.50.27 for the 200m butterfly gave him silver and once again lowered his Shetland Age Group record.  This was followed with a superbly paced 800m freestyle where he broke the 10minutes with a 9.56.20 for second place. The afternoon session produced a 4 seconds PB in the 100m butterfly, achieving  yet another  Scottish Age Group time, but it was in the 400m IM that Eddie had a really stunning swim, knocking a massive 16 seconds off a month old PB – but in a tightly fought race he was just out-touched at the finish for 4^th place. Eddie still hadn’t done enough and faced three further finals in the last session. He proceeded to pick up three more medals. In the 200m IM his 2.43.80 was a bronze and was another time for the DRP. The 100 butterfly resulted in 3^rd place and in his last event of the championships, the 100m backstroke he further lowered his PB set in the heat to a 1.15.98 for silver. 

Eddie’s most remarkable achievement is that he now has consideration times for every event for next month’s Scottish Age Group Championships.

Edinburgh International, Tollcross, Glasgow, 12/13 February 2011

Donnie Price, South Mainland ASC, competed in 8 events in the 13/14 age group and the Open 200IM and created a new batch of Long Course PBs, setting further targets for the months to come.  Swimming at the high level meet were all the top boys in the country, providing the toughest competition since his last visit to Glasgow. Donnie’s highest place was a fourth in the 200m breaststroke with a 2.46.51. 

Other top ten places were achieved in the 200m free (5^th)  and the 200m backstroke (7^th) and in making two of the finals for 100’s, he finished in sixth place in the breaststroke. Breaking the minute for long course for the first time in the heat of the 100m freestyle, he was 10^th qualifier for the evening’s final where he then improved his with a 59.75 to move up to 8^th place.

North District Age Group Meet, Inverness, 5-6 February 2011

This was the meet that so many had looked forward to – having already been a victim of atrocious weather in December, when it was cancelled at the last moment, 11 South Mainland swimmers were due to head to the rescheduled meet at the beginning of February.

Unfortunately, once more, weather played havoc with our intentions of taking the biggest number of swimmers ever to the District meet – for many this was going to be a first time at the event. Ghastly gale force winds prevented the boat from sailing on the Thursday night so in the end only three swimmers decided to opt to fly to Inverness.

The first challenge of the weekend was enduring ‘the worst flight ever’  from Sumburgh to Inverness via Kirkwall – except that the Kirkwall brief stop didn’t happen, and although, to begin with, the plane thought that was where it was going, changed it’s mind within what felt like 10 feet of the ground and whooshed heavenward at the last moment. 

Announcements of trying again or having to divert were made, but not back to Sumburgh as it was closed due to the storm and not directly to Inverness as it too was closed, due to flooding.  So on we continued, suffering the extremely bumpy trip and landing in Aberdeen an hour and fifty minutes after taking from Sumburgh. Once safe on the ground, while most would happily have got off and caught a bus, train or hitchhiked, we were kept in our seats and once again launched into gale force winds and chucked about up to Inverness.

Despite the dodgiest of starts to the weekend all three swimmers swam extremely well, totalling 28 personal best times and a dozen medals between them.

Competing at the event for his  fifth and last time, 14 year old Donnie Price had a fantastic two days, swimming every event in the 13/14 boys age group. Over twelve events he achieved 10 personal best times and 7 medals making him the most successful swimmer from Shetland at the meet. His first medal came in the 100m breaststroke where he gained the bronze with a PB time of 1.14.70 and this was followed later in the day with a tremendous 4 second PB in the 400 IM where with a time of 5.01.70 he won his first gold of the weekend. The 200m breaststroke then produced another brilliant PB and this time he came second. Heading back to the pool on the Sunday provided Donnie with the opportunity to pull off some more great swims, a chance he was not to miss. In the 100m freestyle he gained a good PB, but with a strong field, a 58.29 was only good enough for a sixth place. However, in his second race in the morning, Donnie demonstrated his ever improving race skills in competing in the 1500m freestyle. Unworried by other competitors heading off very fast at the beginning and being ahead in the early stages, he kept it very steady for the first 500m before picking up his pace and pushing well in front of others. Maintaining his lead he finished in 17.13.32, achieving not just gold but also a time required this year for Scottish Youth Development Squad. Sunday afternoon brought a PB in the 200m IM heat and a place in the evening’s final. The 400m freestyle was swam in similar fashion to the 1500m, letting others burn out during the first 100m while holding back a little before increasing the pace and taking over the lead at the half way mark. Another good 4 second PB was produced for another gold medal. In the last session of the meet, Donnie still continued to produce quality swims. In the 200m backstroke he smashed his entry time by 8 seconds with a 2.22.96, achieving a 3^rd place and a new Shetland Age Group record. Ten minutes later came the final of the 200m IM and finishing off his meet in style, Donnie lowered his PB from the afternoon and successfully gained a bronze.

Donnie’s younger brother, Eddie, 12, also swam every race of the meet in the 10-12 years age group and successfully clocked up 12 PBs and 5 medals. The 400m freestyle was his first event, where he broke his target of 5 minutes for the first time with a 4.58.32 to take bronze. After another two PBs during the first session in the 100m butterfly and the 200m backstroke,  the afternoon got underway with the tough 400m IM and another good PB of 5.55.30, just missing out on the medals with 4^th place. A tiny PB was then achieved in his 100m freestyle with a 1.07.14, enough to get the silver. Saturday evening started with the 200m butterfly where he swam a very well paced race, and with two lengths to go held on to his lead to win the gold in 2.58.27, lowering his Shetland Age Group record by three seconds. The following day he started by taking six seconds off his 200m breaststroke time and achieved a time for Scottish National Age Groups in April.  The 1500m freestyle followed, where Eddie executed his race plan extremely well in maintaining a steady pace and finishing with an extra push in the closing stages. His resulting time of 19.27.83 earned a well deserved silver. His next race was the heat of 200m IM and producing another PB secured a place in the final. The 100m backstroke was another fabulous race, and a good 2 second PB.

The closing session of the competition brought one of the races that Eddie had been most looking forward to, the 200m freestyle where he excelled himself by whacking a huge 7 seconds off his  entry time with a 2.20.47 to finish in 3^rd place once again. Shortly after, he completed his events with the final of the 200 IM finishing in 5^th place.

Vhairi Davies, 12, competing in this level of competition for the first time, had a tremendous weekend making excellent PBs in all of her 5 races. Her meet started off by taking 2 seconds off her 100m butterfly followed by  9 seconds from her 200m backstroke. After a break in the afternoon, she faced one of the toughest events in swimming, the 200m butterfly and succeeded in improving her entry time by an incredible 17 seconds to finish in 3.17.30 and a very respectable 12^th place. Equally challenging was the 400m IM that greeted her on Sunday morning and once again Vhairi demolished her entry time by taking 21 seconds off her PB to get a 6.36.24. Her last race brought her yet one more good PB time of 1.24.29 in the 100m backstroke.